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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is grit and faithfulness. Grit means demonstrating passion, courage and perseverance toward a goal despite being confronted by significant obstacles and distractions. Faithfulness means steadfastness and loyalty. The theme “Grit and faithfulness”, can be rephrased as showing courage and perseverance in the face of temptations and challenges borne out of our steadfastness and loyalty to God. Jesus shares the parable of the weed to assure and encourage believers who demonstrate grit and faithfulness in the world of evil and temptations shall be greatly rewarded. “²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared… “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. ⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:24-26, 37-43)

Dear friend, the key lesson of our reflection is that our love and faith in the Lord shall be tested in life through various obstacles and hurdles in our lives. Some of the obstacles we will encounter in life as believers will be placed in our way by the devil but through our grit and faithfulness to God we shall triumph. We recall the temptation of Jesus by Satan in the wilderness, “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness ² for forty days, being tempted by the devil…And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:1-2,13). Again we recall the story of Job, we are told that “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸ And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. ⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:7-10). When Nebuchadnezzar made an image of himself to be worshipped, Shadrack, Mechack and Abednego refused to bow down to his image of gold, therefore, he threatened them, “…if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. (Daniel 3:15-18)

Dear friend, we have identified some examples of Biblical characters who demonstrated grit and faithfulness to God in the face of temptations and persecutions. It is now our turn to demonstrate grit and faithfulness when we are being maligned, persecuted and placed in harm’s way on account of discipleship, integrity and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God rewards those who demonstrate grit and faithfulness to Him in all circumstances. After all the evil Jospeh’s brothers did to him, God turned their evil plans into his blessings because he was consistent in showing his grit and faithfulness to God in all his sufferings and challenges in Egypt, Joseph said to his brothers “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20). Paul greatly assures us that “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). Again, He reminds us in 2 Thessalonians 3:3 that “… the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” Jesus assures us of our reward for demonstrating grit and faithfulness when He says that “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, (Matthew 5:11-12). Beloved in the Lord, do not give up when you are faced with temptations and challenges in life, these are part of our journey as believers, victory and the reward of eternal life are assured if we do not give up. Paul knew this truth, therefore, he wrote to Timothy with a great sense of fulfilment, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8) It is now our turn to live a life of grit and faithfulness keeping with our calling even as we await our total reward and redemption from our Lord and Master Jesus Christ when He comes the second time. Shalom

PRAYER

Holy Spirit empowers us to demonstrate grit and faithfulness when faced with temptations and challenges in our lives. Help us to always focus on pleasing God through our perseverance and loyalty to Him through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen